Greg Schiano, who is in his second stint as head coach at Rutgers, is known for his no-nonsense approach and hard-hitting teams. They approach the game with a run oriented, ball control, clock control game, keeping it close and wearing you out until the end.
The Scarlet Knights finished 7-6 last season with a bowl win over Miami and are 4-0 this season.
Offensively, the Knights are led by 6’3’ 215lb QB Athan Kaliakmanis. The two-year starter for Minnesota transferred to Rutgers this spring. In twelve games last season Kaliakmanis completed 53.1% of his passes for 1,838 yards, 14 TD’s and 9 interceptions.
Second year offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca returns to lead an offense that ran the ball 60% of the time last season. Part of the run heavy offense was due to Rutgers’s inability to pass the ball. The addition of Kaliakmanis, who played for Ciarrocca at Minnesota, has given Rutgers versatility on offense. Kaliakmanis is used to Ciarrocca’s run heavy system and has fit in well. Kaliakmanis has only passed when asked to and for the season has gone 59/96, for 761 yards (190.3 per game), and a 61.5% completion rate. He has thrown for 7 TD’s and 1 interception while being sacked 4 times. Kaliakmanis has good feet and can move in the pocket and has rushed for 67 yards in four games. We’ve seen him before, and Husker fans shouldn’t forget Kaliakmanis has a 2-0 record against them.
Kaliakmanis’s top target is wide receiver Dymere Miller who led the FCS with 1,295 yards and 9 TD’s last season. So far this season, the 5’11”, 184lb Miller has caught 15 balls for 227 yards for a 15.1-yard average and 1 TD. From the tight end position, Kaliakmanis will look for 6’3” 246lb Kenny Fletcher. Fletcher has 16 receptions for 122 yards, with a15.5-yard average, and 2 TD’s.
While Rutgers has shown the ability to throw, they continue to be a run-focused offense. Returning starter 5’9” 210lb RB Kyle Monangai, who led the Big 10 in rushing last year with 1,262 yards, had seven 100-yard games and three 150-yard games or more last season. This season he has picked up where he left off, carrying the ball 97 times for 589 yards with a 6.1-yard average and 6 TD’s. He has rushed for over 100 yards in three of the last four games. He is very physical and is known for his ability to get additional yards after contact. Nebraska hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher this season, but Monangai could very well be the best running back the Blackshirts will face all year.
Rutgers running backs haven’t shown to be a threat catching passes out of the backfield, the Scarlet Knights have a 51% conversion rate on 3rd down. Part of Nebraska’s success will once again depend on the Blackshirts’ ability to make tackles for losses or holding Monangai to minimal yardage on first down. Even then, it is key for Tony White’s squad to hold Monangai under a hundred yards rushing for the game.
Defensively, Rutgers plays a physical style of football and feels like they have a puncher’s chance when teams try to go toe to toe with them.
Leading tacklers for Rutgers are Dariel Djabome and Desmond Igbinosun. Djabome, a 6’2” 240lb linebacker has made 35 total tackles, 10 solo, 25 assist and has a forced fumble. Igbinosun, a defense back, is 6’2”, 213lbs. He has made 22 total tackles, 12 solo, and10 assist. Four of the top five tacklers are defensive backs. Rutgers defense has 4 sacks, 3 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles in four games.
Like Nebraska, Rutgers has had difficulty at times on defense. Last week they gave up over 500 total yards to Washington. Dylan Raiola and the Huskers should be able to pass on this team, as the defensive backfield may be the weakest part of their defense. Running hasn’t been one of Nebraska’s strong suits this season, and it won’t get any easier since Rutgers has a stout run defense. But I like the Huskers chances in this one. Nebraska’s passing game and jet sweeps will keep Rutgers off balance.
Good things area about to happen.
Stats to remember:
- Currently Rutgers is ranked 98th nationally in rush defense. In comparison, Nebraska is ranked 86th.
- Rutgers ranks in the top 10 nationally in red zone defense.
- Rutgers ranks 36th in offensive scoring (35.0 points per game), and it is 29th defensively, (16.3 points allowed per game).
- Nebraska ranks 61st in offensive scoring (30.8 points per game), and is 9th defensively, (12.2 points allowed per game).
- Nebraska has outscored their opponents 58-3 in the 2nd quarter.
- In Schiano’s 15 years at Rutgers, his teams have blocked over 70 kicks and scored over 60 non-offensive touchdowns. That’s a jarring stat considering Nebraska has had two field goals and one punt blocked this season.
You can find more articles on Husker football at Off The Cob (lyleharmon-otc.com)